Venture capital investment into European companies rose to its highest figure since Q3 2001, according to data by Dow Jones VentureSource. Some €2.6bn was raised in 345 deals.
Dow Jones was an increase of 41pc on the amount of funding raised in the fourth quarter of 2014, despite a 5pc slide in the number of deals completed.
The biggest deal of the quarter was Berlin-based Rocket Internet’s €288m investment in online food ordering company Food Hero.
The largest fund of the quarter was HV Holtzbrinck Ventures Fund VI, which accounted for 33pc of the total amount raised in the first quarter of 2015.
Germany received the most venture capital investments during the quarter, with €921m invested across 64 deals, and accounted for 35pc of all equity financing during the first quarter and triple the amount of money Germany brought in during the fourth quarter.
The UK came second, attracting 34pc of European financing investment, up 54pc from the previous year, to total €886m as deal flow increased by 16pc.
The number of venture-backed M&As in Europe during the first quarter was 49, down 6pc year-on-year.
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